How to Raise Orphaned Raccoons

Ensure that the little raccoon is actually orphaned. The animal's mother and siblings may simply be hiding from you. Check to see that the infant is not injured; if it is, you will need to talk to the appropriate authorities for veterinary attention. Wear gloves or gently drape a towel or piece of clothing over the orphan, to avoid being bitten or scratched, when you attempt to pick it up. Be aware that the orphan may be aggressive or attempt to bite.

Contact your local wildlife authority when you find a baby raccoon; they will instruct you on the best course of action to take. They can advise you of any local wildlife facilities where the orphan may be taken, or what you should do with the animal if no such facility exists in your area.

Check for dehydration once you have taken the animal home. Use your fingers to gently pull a small section of the neck skin into a tent shape, to see if the orphan is dehydrated. The skin will not return to its original position if the raccoon is dehydrated. The orphan raccoon's eyes will also be sunken.

Weigh the orphan so you can gauge the amount of electrolyte solution to inject, if the raccoon is dehydrated.

Inject an electrolyte, or balanced fluid solution, such as Ringers Lactate, under the orphan's skin. Ringers Lactate can be obtained from a pharmacy. Inject an amount of electrolyte solution that is between four and five percent of the raccoon's body weight into numerous sites across the animal's entire body. Evenly spread out the total amount of solution to be given over an eight-hour period. Inject the raccoon subcutaneously, or just beneath the skin. Do not inject into deeper tissue, as the fluid will not be evenly absorbed and you will risk the needle hitting blood vessels. Before injecting, tap on the syringe to dislodge any bubbles and gently depress the plunger on the syringe to squirt them out. Work with the bevel, or hole in the needle, pointing upward. Pull up gently on the raccoon's skin and inject into the space that is created below the tent-shaped raised piece of skin.

Warm a chilled orphan. Place a towel over a warm water bottle and lay the orphan on the towel. Young raccoons have minimal hair covering their bodies and are unable to regulate their own body temperatures. Once the orphan is warm and has begun to feed, keep it warm by placing it on soft towels in a box in a heated room. Older orphans, that can move around with ease and away from the heat source if needed, can be placed under a heat lamp.

Place the end of a 1-inch length of intravenous tubing into hot water for a short period to soften the tubing. Push this end onto a syringe. This will be used for feeding the orphan.

Use reconstituted kitten or dog milk formula, which can be obtained from your veterinarian or pet dealer. Feed the orphan between one and five percent of its body weight in cc's of milk formula. Draw the formula into the syringe and push the tube gently into the corner of the orphan's mouth. Dribble the formula into the mouth so the raccoon can swallow with ease. Do not push too much formula into the mouth at once or the orphan may choke.

Induce the orphan to urinate and defecate by massaging the genital area with cotton wool that has been moistened under warm water.

Spray the tip of a cotton swab with a flea aerosol and rub this over any fleas on the orphan's body.

Pick off any ticks with tweezers. Take hold of the head of the tick, because squeezing the body of the tick will squeeze any toxins and infections within the tick's body into the orphan.

Phone your veterinarian and discuss the need to vaccinate the orphan against rabies. Raccoons are mammals and are therefore susceptible to contracting rabies. Rabies is a potentially fatal disease in all mammals, including humans. Check with your veterinarian as to whether he can legally treat the raccoon or if it needs to be taken to a wildlife specialist for the injection. As it is illegal to keep raccoons as pets in certain states, veterinarians who have a domestic practice may be prohibited from treating these animals. If this applies in your case, you will need to take advice from your local wildlife department regarding seeking veterinary treatment for the raccoon.

Keep the growing raccoon in a sturdy cage until you are ready to release the animal, which should be any time from the age of 4 months. Keeping the raccoon in its own cage protects the animal from the unnecessary attention of domestic pets. After weaning at approximately 75 days, feed the growing raccoon a balanced dog food, to which you have added a vitamin supplement, as directed. If the raccoon is to be released, it is best not to attempt to train it in any way.